On 28 July 2025, the European Commission announced the launch of an in-depth inquiry to assess whether around €26 million in support granted by Poland to the Polish subsidiary of Man Trucks complies with the Union’s state aid rules. This funding was requested by the commercial vehicle manufacturer to expand production capacity at the Niepołomice plant, in the Małopolskie region in the south of the country. According to a 2024 notification by the Polish authorities, the aid consists of a direct grant of about €2.4 million and an exemption from corporate income tax worth around €23.7 million. Although Poland decided to award the support, disbursement has been suspended pending the Commission’s assessment.
The planned investment by Man Trucks is expected to create around 1,400 new jobs, contributing to the economic development of a region that, under the EU’s classification, is eligible for regional aid. In its initial review, the Commission acknowledges the potential positive impact of the measure in terms of employment and local growth. However, significant doubts arise over the compatibility of the aid with the criteria laid down in the guidelines on regional state aid.
The concerns focus on two main aspects. On the one hand, the executive intends to verify whether the level of support is proportionate, meaning whether the aid is truly limited to the minimum necessary to attract the investment to a disadvantaged area. On the other, the Commission must determine whether the support had a genuine incentive effect, namely whether the company’s decision to expand production in Niepołomice was in fact prompted by the prospect of receiving public aid, or whether the project would have gone ahead even without the state contribution.
The opening of the investigation now allows the Polish authorities, the aid beneficiary and any interested third parties to submit observations and documentation relevant to the case file. This is therefore not a pre-emptive condemnation, but a fact-finding phase made necessary by the complexity of the case.
The Union’s state aid framework provides room for intervention to promote the economic development of less developed regions, provided certain requirements are met. Aids must be justified by a clear incentive effect, must remain within the limits set for each region and must not create distortions in the internal market, such as excess production capacity in declining sectors, the relocation of existing activities from other member states or the shifting of investment from areas that are equally or more disadvantaged.
